Bedstead clamp with traction frame support



p 7, 1955 L. P. SUTTON BEDSTEAD CLAMP WITH TRACTION FRAME. SUPPORT Filed Oct. 1, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTD R N EY Sept. 27, 1955 P. SUTTON 2,718,886

BEDSTEAD CLAMP WITH TRACTION FRAME SUPPORT Filed Oct. 1, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 z 2f .1 42 @335 42 5 40 5a INVENTOR 1 Z GWQZ Z/ZZ 2? 61/550.

ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1955 1.. P. SUTTON 2,713,835

BEDSTEAD CLAMP WITH TRACTION FRAME SUPPORT Filed Oct. 1, 1952 :5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N VEN TOR.

Z Z QWeZQ/IZB a) I! 75072 ATTCI RN EYS United States Patent O BEDSTEAD CLAMP WITH TRACTION SUPPORT LlewellynP. Sutton, Alexandria, Va.= Application October 1, 1952, Serial No. 312,4 35

2 Claims. (Cl. 128 -84) The present invention relates to a traction frame and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrang'ementsof parts herein described and claimed.

Generally, there is provided a traction frame consisting essentially of a base plate having novelmeansfor attachment to selected positions upon the side rails of a bed. ,A standard is vertically and revolubly adjustable in the ba'se plate and has pivotally and adjustablyconnected to its upper end a bracket in which is slidably adju'stable a main frame consisting of a pair of spaced parallel tubular arms in the outer pair of adjacent end portions of. which is slidably and adjustably mounted the legs ofa U-shaped auxiliary frame member. A pulley is s ii pprted by a novel bracket adjustably mounted upon the"'bight"portion of the auxiliary frame member. In

of base leg members each adapted to be removably received li'l theinner end portions of the main frame, and 35 anarm, the arms being interconnected by a brace mem- 2 her to maintain them in spaced parallel relation. The

to'each of which is adjustably and pivotally connected side'of the main frame and a forearm exercising device which may be attached to the device of the present'invention in a novel manner. A novel bed rail-engaging clamp also forms a part of the invention.

While the device of the present invention is generally termed a traction frame, it may be utilized as a splint for an arm or. a leg, may be used as an infusion splint when utilized with a triangular arm-supporting bandage; may be utilized in spinal cases; may be used as an exerciser for the forearms of a patient; as an exerciser for the knees of "a patient; may be utilized to apply traction to the skull ofja patient by hinging the same to the head portion of a bed frame and the device may be used in pairs to provide a spread traction for the legs of a patient when it. is desired ,to secure such a spread wider than the width of the; bedinwhich the patient may be positioned. The device is compact and may be easily and quickly d is assembled and the, various parts thereof carried in a suitable container, the whole being of a weight which maybe readily carried in one hand of an operator. When positioned upon a patientsbed, the device is such that it protrudes but a short distance from the side .of thebed thus affording a minimum of bedside obstructions and. thus allowingnurses and doctors attending a addition to the auxiliary frame member, there] is also' provided'a fno'vel extension frame memberhaving a pair patient in such bed a maximum of working space about such bed and lessening the danger of accidental collision and injury by the doctors and nurses and at the same time preventing annoying and painful shocks to the patient due to such accidental collisions.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide,

in a device of the character set forth, a novel main frame inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and eifi-- cient in use. i

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a novel adjustable pulley-supporting bracket forming a part of the invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a novel extension frame member forminga part of the invention and having novel means for its removable attachment to the main frame member of the device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in

a device of the character set forth, a novel auxiliary frame member provided with novel means for its adjustable connection with the main frame member.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel exercising attachments forming parts of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of-the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention, a

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of Figure 1, Figure 3 isa plan view of Figure 2,

Figure '4 is an enlarged sectional view taken alon line of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along A line s s of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a plan view of the device illustrated in-Figv ures 1 to 5, with an extension member forming a part of the invention attached thereto,

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an extension frame member forming a part of the invention,

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of the device shown in Figure 8 illustrating certain. details of construction, a

Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view' of a pul- Icy-supporting member forming a part ofthe invention,

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a support member also forming a part of the invention,

Figure 12 is an enlarged exploded perspective view illustrating certain details of a standard and base plate forming parts of the invention, and

Figure 13 is a horizontal transverse sectional view of the device illustrated in Figure 12.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a conventional bed side rail having a horizontal portion 10 and a vertically dependent portion 11.

A base plate 12 extends longitudinally and horizontally,

with respect to an adjacent bed rail and is centrally pro vided with a pair of laterally extending integrally formed Patented Sept. 27, 1955 inner portion of the horizontal flight of the side rail.

The base plate 12 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 18 adjacent its outer edge and with a centrally disposed laterally extending slot 19 which lies between the central portion of the slot 18 and the inner end of the opening 14.

A clamp member is generally indicated at 20 and is provided with a vertically extending body 21 and to the lower end of which is integrally connected a horizontal and inwardly extending wall 22 to which, in turn, there is integrally connected at foreshortened upwardly extending wall 23. A bolt 24 is centrally afiixed to the upper end of the body 21 and extends vertically therefrom. The bolt 24 is adapted to extend through the slot 19 and is provided at its upper end with a wing nut 25.

A standard 26 extends vertically and slidably through an upper collar 27 which is provided adjacent its lower end with an outstanding annular flange 28 adapted to rest upon the upper side of the plate 12 and whose lower portion is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed flattened sides 29 which are adapted to engage the inner longitudinally extending walls of the slot 18. A set screw 30 provided with a knurled head 31 extends radially through the collar 27 and is adapted to engage the standard 26. The standard 26 also extends slidably through a lower collar 32 which is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed integrally formed outstanding ears 33.

The upper end of the collar 32 is provided with an outwardly extending annular flange 34 which is adapted to engagethe underside of the plate 12 and with an interiorly threaded recess 35 which is adapted to threadably engage an exteriorly threaded dependent reduced portion 36 of the upper collar 27.

The upper end of the standard 26 is provided with a toothed coupling member 37 which is adapted to cooperate with a toothed coupling member 38 carried at the outer end of an arm 39 carried by the bight portion of a U-shaped bracket 40. A bolt 41 is attached to the member 38and extends through the member 37 and is provided at its outer end with a Wing nut 42.

The outer ends of the bracket are each provided with a collar 43 in each of which is slidable a hollow tubular frame member 44, the members 44 being in spaced parallel relation to each other. Each of the collars 43 is provided with a set screw 45 for maintaining its frame member 44 in adjusted position therein.

Adjacent the outer ends of the frame members 44 the same are interconnected by arcuate brace members 46 each of which is provided with collars 47 at its outer ends, the collars 47 engaging slidably over the frame members 44 and each being provided with a set screw 48 for the selective positioning of the brace members 46 longitudinally upon the frame member 44.

An auxiliary frame member 49 is of U-shape and has its legs telescopically mounted in the outer end portions of the frame members 44 and is held adjustably in the frame members 44 by the outermost set screws 48. A two-part clamp member 50, hinged as indicated at 51, surrounds the bight portion of the extension frame 49 and is provided with a pair of outstanding ears 52 which are held together by means of a screw 53 or the like. An arm 54 extends radially from the clamp and is provided at its outer end with an integrally formed lateral extension 55 provided with an eye 56 at its 'outer end. Apulley 57 is dependently carried by the eye 56 and a cable 58 having a weight 59 at one end thereof'is entrained over the pulley 57. The other end of the cable 58 may be provided with a hand grip 60 for exercising purposes, as indicated in Figure l or may be provided with links 61 engaging a pin 62 extending through the knee. region bones of a patient, as indicated in Figure 7 whereby to apply traction.

An additional pulley holder is generally indicated at. 63 in Figure 11 and consists of a clamp collar 64 of suitable character which may be adjustably mounted upon one of the frame members 44. A hollow arm 65 extends outwardly from the clamp 64 and has telescopically mounted in the outer portion thereof a rod 66 which is adjustably held within the member 65 by a suitable clamp 67 surrounding the outer portion of the member 65 and provided with a set screw 68. The outer end of the rod 66 has integrally formed therewith a lateral extension 69 provided at its outer end with an eye 70 from which depends a pulley 71. A cable 72 (or the cable 58) is entrained over the pulley 71 and has a weight 73 aflixed to one end thereof while the other end thereof may be afflxed to, for example, a pin 74 which extends through, for example, a suitable bone in the forearm of a patient as shown in Figure 1.

An extension frame member is generally indicated at 75 in Figure 8 of the drawings and consists of a pair of spaced parallel base legs 76 each adapted to be inserted into the inner end portion of one of the frame members 44 and held therein by means of the innermost set screws 48. The outer end of each of the legs 76 is adjustably connected by means of a toothed coupling 77 provided with the customary wing nut 78 to a tubular member 79, the tubular member 79 being interconnected by a flexible strap 80. Telescopically mounted in one of the legs 79 is a relatively short rod 81 while telescopically mounted in the other member 79 is a relatively longer rod 82, the rods 81 and 82 being adjustably held within their respective members 79 by clamps 83 provided with set screws 84 and the rods 81 and 82 being interconnected by flexible strap 85 similar to the strap 80.

An arcuate hip-engaging member 86 is hingedly connected, as indicated at 87 at each of its ends to each of the rods 81 and 82 and is preferably formed of strap steel covered with a suitable padding.

In operation, it will be apparent that the device of the present invention may be attached to the bed rail of any conventional hospital bed by first placing the hooks 17 over the horizontal flight of such rail and thereafter inserting the shaft 24 through the slot 19 and securing the hook member 22-23 to the bottom edge of the bed rail, as clearly indicated in Figure 1 of the drawing. Thereupon the wing nut 25 may be tightened to securely hold the plate in position. In this respect, it should be noted that the notch 14 provides a means for clearance of the springs 16 and their attaching eyes 15, as indicated, for example, in Figure 13 of the drawings.

After this has been accomplished the standard 26 may be inserted through the slot 18 and the lower collar 32 brought upwardly to threadably engage the dependent portion 36 of the collar 27 at the same time fitting the flattened edges of the collar 27 into the longitudinal inner walls of the slot 18 so that the same may be moved to any selected position as desired. The ears 33 may be utilized to securely thread the collar 32 to the collar 27 when a selected position for the standard 26 has been found. The standard 26 may be raised or lowered as desired and locked in any selected position by means of the set screw 30 and its knurled knob 31. When the standard 26 has been placed in its desired position, it being understood that the standard 26 may also be adjusted radially as well as vertically, the coupling members 37 and 38 may then be utilized to provide a proper angle for the bracket 40 thereby to support the main frame members 44 as, for example, in a more or less horizontal position to support a limb as shown in Figures 6 and '7 or in a vertical position as shown, for example, in Figure l of the drawings. The auxiliary frame member 49 may be extended to any desired position with respect to the main frame members 44 by manipulating the set screws 48 and it will be seen that the pulley 57 may be supported by the rod 54 in any desired position but that the pulley itself 57 will remain in a dependent position at all times which is most desirable so as not to interfere with the working of the cables placed thereover. Whenever needed, the extension frame member 75 may be added to the structure by placing the base leg 76 into the inner portions of the main frame members 44 and locking the same therein by means of the set screws 48. The main body of this extension frame may be pivoted to desired position by manipulating the wing nut 78 and it will be seen that the hip-engaging member 86 may be pivoted on its pivotal points 87 whenever it is desired to utilize the device upon an opposite leg of the patient than that shown in the drawings. The strap 86 is designed to lay upon the mattress beneath the patient so that the remainder of the apparatus may be adjusted with this in mind. The auxiliary pulley support 63 may be attached in many different places as, for example, upon one of the members 44 as shown in Figure 7 or may be separately attached to a portion of the bed in which the patient is positioned.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that while only certain uses of the device forming the present invention have been illustrated herein, that the device is capable of many combinations and for a myriad of purposes and that, when not in use, the same may be packed in a minimum of space and may be used in multiples to achieve other purposes. In this respect, the device may be set up as shown in Figure 6 and 7 and a like device set up upon the opposite side of the bed to achieve a spread of a patients legs when the same is desirable.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described including a horizontally extending base plate, a pair of spaced integrally formed dependent bed rail-engaging hooks formed integrally with the inner side of said plate, said plate having a longitudinally extending slot formed adjacent its outer edge, an upper collar having diametrically opposed flattened lower sides adapted to slidably fit in said slot and having a flange extending therefrom for engagement with the upper side of said plate, said upper collar having a reduced exteriorly threaded cylindrical portion, a lower collar adapted to engage the underside of said plate and having an interiorly threaded recess for the threaded reception therein of said reduced portion, both of said collars having a vertical rounded opening therethrough, a standard vertically and revolubly movable in said openings, said base plate having a lateral slot therein positioned between said longitudinal slot and said dependent hooks, a vertical locking plate, a shaft extending upwardly from said locking plate through said lateral slot, a wing nut upon the upper end of said shaft, an upwardly extending bed rail-engaging hook formed at the lower edge of said locking plate, and a set screw extending radially into said upper collar for engagement with said standard.

2. A device as defined in ,claim 1 wherein said lower collar is provided with a pair of outwardly extending integrally formed ears.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,134,720 Bradley Apr. 6, 1915 1,242,688 Howley Oct. 9, 1917 1,898,781 Leiter Feb. 21, 1933 2,297,861 Coin Oct. 6, 1942 2,319,609 La Crosse May 18, 1943 2,374,163 Burchsted Apr. 24, 1945 2,376,507 Ruther May 22, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 688,225 Germany July 14, 1940 

